A press release from Putnam's office hailed the benchmark as a "milestone" that "highlights history, privacy protections, and [the] success of [the] program" since Florida issued its first statewide concealed firearms license in 1987.

The state reports 997,066 valid license holders as of Wednesday, a number Putnam estimated will balloon to seven digits sometime next week -- faster than any other state in the nation. One in 17 Floridians already had a license to carry a hidden firearm when the state reduced application and renewal fees in July.